Scroll: The Last Portal
by Rosalina Markeen
Summary: The last portal must now be cut off, and only the scroll can do it. Heidi must realize herself, in order to overcome great difficulties, and go back in time in order to end the Dark Ages.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Slice** Heidi's sword cut through the dragon flesh with perfect precision, leaving the carcass strewn across the gravel. Heidi prudently slid the dead body back into the thicker foliage, and meandered further into the forest. Looking down with ferocity at the amulet that lay glowing against her tan skin, Heidi allowed a small smile cross her face. Heidi was clad in full body armor. Anyway, one never knew who was the cavalry was until it was too late. Being prepared was a must in the Enchanted Forest, so Heidi had brought a canteen of fresh spring water and provisions for two days with generous portions, or four days with skimpy ones. But don't get me wrong, Heidi wasn't planning on staying long. Heidi had an important task to do. But as she began to shuffle down the path again, she heard a rumbling in the foliage to her left. Taking out her sword in case she had an enemy behind the bush, she approached so silently that not even an owl on a silent night would have heard her. Brushing the twigs that separated the sound and her, she jumped as she looked down. Giving an exasperated sigh, she noticed that the noisemaker was only an egg. A dragon egg to be exact, but still a helpless fetus. But then again selling this little guy she could make enough money to get a large shield…yes! She wrapped the fragile egg with her downy blanket and placed it into the pack on her back. Her eiderdown shirt blew relentlessly along with the stinging wind that was forcing its way from the north to the south. As Heidi found a small nook inside a hollowed out tree, she took her seat. Slipping her raw feet out of makeshift deerskin moccasins, she rubbed some numbing ointment onto them and cleaned the dirty cloth she'd wrapped around her feet.

"Now that's better," Heidi said to nobody in particular. Allowing her back to slump down and her shoulders to sag, she opened her backpack. She gently set the dragon egg aside, and gulped down some of the water. After eating about ½ of a skimpy portion, she looked around. Seeing that this would be a fit place to rest for the night, she relaxed completely. She unclenched her fists, and felt her sore arms collapse. Looking back to the egg, she noticed that it was a spotted dragon egg…not common, at least it wasn't in these parts. I mean, the relatively flat terrain of Salleen is not common for dragons. They prefer hilly valleys or high peaks on jagged mountains, but I guess there is always one that doesn't obey those fundamental rules. And dies…Heidi added, as she remembered her earlier encounter.

"Oh well," Heidi thought as she pondered where she should go to sell such a rare dragon egg. Then it came to her, Taronark! Of course! That was where ALL the dragon breeders sold their best dragons! "Marvelous plan," Heidi congratulated herself.

Suddenly, as if put under a warlock's spell, the egg began to shake uncontrollably and almost dropped off the edge on which it was nestling. Heidi snapped back to reality. The egg began to crack and crumble and no…lose value! A hatched dragon was worth much less than one that was still in an egg. Mainly because dragons tended to stick with the first person they see…great. Heidi watched helplessly as the newly hatched dragon saw her and almost smoked her to a crisp. As Heidi came back from the verge of extinction, she grabbed the newly born dragon that was about the size of her hand. Suddenly, her thoughts wandered back to just that morning…

"Mom, I know that there's a dragon out there in the woods. It is probably in the densest part of the foliage!" Heidi had said.

"NO mother, don't listen to **her**. She knows not of what she speaks," Amanda had retorted.

"Umm…" Mother had stuttered. She looked at Amanda, then to me, and finally whispered her answer.

"Heidi, I'm sorry, but Amanda is right. There are no dragons here. You must not let your imagination run wild with you." Her eyes drifted downward. Mother had never liked fights, especially when we came to her to resolve them. Though Amanda always turned out to be "right".

"Ha! Told you so!" Amanda had retorted with her usual snobby air.

"Well," Heidi now thought, "that's why I have a dragon egg, and I have slayed a dragon! But no, of course I would be wrong, I was the younger sister. I was foolish and naïve, well NO! Amanda was the ignorant one, but I guess that didn't matter now. I already left."

Sighing to herself, Heidi took another sip of water. She then looked down at the dragon baby.

"I guess we both have problems with mothers. Of course I caused your parental problem, but still.'

"Prrr," the dragon answered, looking at Heidi with compassionate eyes.

"On not you too! You know I can't keep you…okay, I could, but I need a good shield, not this wooden one," Heidi motioned over to her old wooden shield.

"Prrr," the dragon crooned again.

"Fine, I'll think about keeping you."

"Prrr"

"Listen, if you stop purring and making me feel guilty, I'll hold you for the walk tomorrow."

"Chip! Chip!" She called out.

"Smart little fella aren't you."

As Heidi slowly dozed off, the night flew by like a cheetah would if it were chasing its prey. Heidi was jolted awake at five o'clock by the dragon who had decided that her belly would make a perfect trampoline.

"Oooff!" Heidi uttered sitting up abruptly, and gasping for air.

"Chip! Chip!"

"Oh you little! Wait, it's five o'clock! How did you know that I had to wake up at five o'clock? Oh well, we got to hurry!" Heidi paused and smiled, "you know, you are a real cutie…" Heidi hesitated. She comprehended that she would lose a new shield, "you're with me, and no amount of money will change that."

As Heidi pledged her loyalty to the dragon, the dragon silently pledged back, and stared up at her intently. As soon as she had confirmed the dragon's hopes, it had snuggled up to her and let out a small but steady stream of smoke escape its mouth.

"Okay, but if you set me on fire…nevermind, just don't."

The dragon had obediently closed its mouth, extinguishing the fire.

"You're so cute!"

"Chip! Chip!"

"Okay then, let's go."

The dragon shook its little head.

"Hop on," Heidi said motioning to her right shoulder.

As soon as the dragon was situated, Heidi left for Almardo, one of the finest towns ever established.

As Heidi sat down in the fallen leaves to get some food out, the dragon hopped off her shoulder landing with a light thud.

"Want some?" Heidi asked the dragon through a mouthful of food.

The dragon looked at Heidi dumb founded then took off flying.

"No! Don't leave! Hhhhhh… another deserter." But as soon as she had said that, the dragon landed right in front of her with a charred fox in its mouth that was almost as big as the dragon itself was. It laid the fox down at her feet, tilted its head to the side, and chipped.

"Well, I guess I got you all wrong…thanks," Heidi said.

"Chip! Chip!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you want some?"

"Chip!"

"Okay then, I'll quickly skin it for both of us."

After Heidi had skinned the roasted fox and put 2/3 of it in her pack for the next few days, she gave a hearty piece to the dragon and a piece to herself.

"So," Heidi said wiping her mouth on her shirtsleeve, "what do you want you name to be?"

"Chip, chip!"

"I got it," Heidi paused and swallowed a chunk of fox, "Chippy! How about it?!"

"Chip!!"

Okay then," Heidi said, going back to stuffing food into her mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

After a fitful sleep, Heidi woke up and gathered up her pack seeing that Chippy was still sleeping, Heidi carefully picked it up, put her pack on her back, and began walking towards Almando. At around noon, Chippy began to stir, and soon after woke up.

"Hey sleepy! You slept late."

Chippy stared at her through its one open eye and laid its head back onto Heidi's arm.

"Well, we're almost at Almando… if you wanted to know."

"Rrrrg…" Chippy complained.

"Fine, sleep the day away then."

"Oofff…" Chippy stated as it got up from its deep slumber.

"So now that you're up do you want some breakfast?"

As a response, Chippy zoomed up into the branches of a tree and came back with a squirrel. Settling down on Heidi's shoulder, Chippy began to eat the little tree climber. As Chippy reached the last bite, it held out the meat.

"No! I mean, no thank-you," Heidi said.

Chippy shrugged its wings, put the meat in its mouth and sucked its fingers.

"That good huh?" Heidi said jokingly.

"Chip."

"So, form my map it says we are about two miles from Almando! Getting close huh!"

"Chip," Chippy said and then yawned.

"Okay little fella. I'll carry you for the next mile, but that last mile is your turn!"

"Chip," Chippy agreed begrudgingly.

As Heidi and Chippy neared Almando, Heidi allowed Chippy to continue to sleep. Although Chippy's egg had been cream spotted with grayish dots, the now hatched dragon was a beautiful mix of cerulean and azure. Chippy's scales glistened in the sweltering heat. Swiping a strand of golden brown hair out of her face, Heidi looked back down at her map. Once again, she began to wonder why she was going to Almando. "Well," Heidi said out loud trying to convince herself, "you could become a master blacksmith, or carpenter, or you could learn to fight better, or you could teach your dragon the skill of flying and fighting, or you could do all!"

Hearing Heidi talking loudly, Chippy woke up and stretched its wings.

As predicted, an hour later they arrived. Almando, the city of dreams. Being hardly fourteen, and being on the short side had a few advantages, but proved to be a disadvantage as she searched for a trainer.

"So what if I'm small!" Heidi stated angrily, "I could do my round-kick twenty times better than that bulky beast!" Heidi disdainfully crossed her skimpy arms across her chest.

"Hey!" a girl called, running after Heidi, and catching her breath.

Puffing loudly the girl introduced herself, "Hi I'm Ellie and I was wondering if you would like to come to the castle to train the royal dragons."

"Yes!" Heidi yelped, not being able to control her excitement. Regaining her posture, Heidi replied, "I mean yes , I accept your job offer. Oh, and if I may…"she paused.

"Yes you may continue," Ellie replied in the proper salutation.

"Why me? I mean…I'm so…small, and it seems all any one wants here is big, muscular people."

"Well if you don't mind me saying, you got a dragon! That probably means you're good with them, you know their species."

Heidi almost cracked up laughing, but manager to maintain her posture, "Sure," she squeaked.

"Okay then. You're starting tomorrow; you get a room and food. Fair share isn't it?"

"Yes mam."

"Oh another reason we're getting you for this job is you got an amulet. Not many people go round having one."

"Oh…it's from…" Ellie cut her off.

"Shhhh…that's your business mam, and you better keep it to your self round here. Shady people you know…everything has ears," Ellie whispered the words into Heidi's ear, "careful".

Heidi looked down at her amulet, that at the moment was nestled upon her shirt.

"Oh, thank-you," Heidi said.

"Well then, follow me," Ellie replied briskly, picking up her pace, "So, how old is your dragon there?"

"Only about two days."

"Chip!"

"My! And it can talk already! You must be a great dragon trainer! I'm glad I chose you!"

"Um, thank-you?" Heidi stammered.

As they got closer to the castle, Heidi began to see guards everywhere. Soon, the two of them arrived at the castle doors, which were guarded by four guards.

"Pass mam," one stated.

"Now," the second demanded.

"Now you know me! I come here every day! Come on!"

"Hurry!" the third one stated, almost robotically.

"Sorry, the rules," the fourth and smallest guard apologized.

"Oh, Trevor!" Ellie said to the fourth guard, "there's finally going to be someone your age her at the castle!"

"Yes mam," he replied, pulling his armor that was three sized too big back up.

"Cute isn't he?" Ellie said much too loudly. Suddenly, Trevor and Heidi's faces were the color of beets.

"Okay you two love birds, I got to go!" This remark only caused the two youngsters to flush three more shades of red, until it looked as if their faces would explode from embarrassment.

"Hmmm," Ellie chuckled to herself. Now looking at her companion, Heidi realized that Ellie was so fair-skinned that she made the color white look tan beyond belief. Also you could tell that Ellie was a few sizes bigger than her shirt.

"Here we are," Ellie said, snapping Heidi out of her daydreams. Heidi gapped at the massive room that stood before her.

"Hope that's good enough for you because you aren't getting a better room."

"Oh no…I love it!" Heidi managed to gasp.

"Good. And all four meals are served in the room two doors to the left from yours…" Ellie smiled and said, "Oh and you got the same meal times as Trevor." Ellie winked at her and nudged her with her meaty elbow.

Heidi now normal-faced turned back to a bright red. Turning to leave, Ellie said, "Now it's time to break the great news to Trevor too!"

As soon as the door swung close behind Ellie, Heidi let out a sigh of relief.

Now having time to look around, Heidi began to comprehend how beautiful the room really was. The walls were covered by hand-weaved tapestries, and desks that were carved from the largest precious gems in the history of the world. The bed was so big that twenty people could've slept on it comfortably at the same time. Going over to touch it, Heidi almost fell over because her whole arm sunk into the bed.

"Woah!: Heidi yelped.

"Chip! Chip! Chip!" Chippy laughed.

"Oh, ha ha ha! It wasn't that funny!" Heidi replied, "oh did you hear Ellie? Four meals? Now this is the way to live!"

"Chip!"

After enjoying no less than a gormea meal, Heidi and Chippy retired to Heidi's newly aquired room.

"Now this is the life," Heidi said, so bloated that even walking was a laborious task.

"Chip!" Chippy replied also stuffed to the brim. So everyone lay down and fell into a fitful sleep.


End file.
